Tamper-proof fluid-tight containers



United States Patent 3,432,065 TAMPER-PROOF FLUID-TIGHT CONTAINERSGottfried Bugla, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Bantox SafetyClosures Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 423,992, Jan. 7, 1965. This application June 26,1967, Ser. No. 648,693 US. Cl. 220-40 10 Claims Int. Cl. B65d 41/06ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A skirted cap in tightenable relationshipwith the mouth-area of a bottle, operates upon being tightened tocompress a fitment located between the cap and mouth area, and havingperimetrical inner and outer sealing flanges, downwardly and outwardlyrespectively said flanges tending toward distortion against saidmouth-area during the tightening operation.

The present invention comprises a novel means for locking a cap to acontainer so as to render the same tamper-proof in respect to substancesfrom which children should be safeguarded, this specification being acontinuation-in-part of United States patent application Ser. No.423,992. filed on the 7th day of January 1965.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a noveltamper-proof container or vial which will he saleable at a commerciallyacceptable price, which will provide an outstandingly positive lockingaction over a long period of use, which will be capable of completelysealing liquids as Well as solids, which will permit, under suflicientlyhigh pressure, as for example due to heat, the escape of gases, whichincludes means whereby the novel spring-biassing and sealing fitmentcannot be deformed due to excessively heavy-handed treatment, in whichthe aforesaid fitment may readily be attached and detached, andparticularly may be applied under surgical or sterile conditions to themouth of the container prior to the attachment of the enclosing cap, andin which the fitment can if desired be permanently and rotatably securedto the cap in a variety of different ways, it being understood that thepresent cap is nevertheless perfectly easy for an adult to unlock, andthis inconspicuously without the child being able to see how it is doneuntil such child has reached an age when it is no longer necessary tosafeguard from it the substances which the present container is intendedto enclose.

With the foregoing considerations in view, and such other objects,purposes or advantages as may become apparent from consideration of thisdisclosure and specification, the present invention consists of theinventive concept embodied in the method, process, construction,arrangement of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing, as hereinparticularly exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of suchconcept, reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevation, predominantly in cross-sectionshowing an enlargement of the presently preferred embodiment of thepresent inventive concept.

FIGURE 2. is a perspective detail depicting one of the receptiveelements and one of the externally off-set upwardly projecting abutmentsassociated therewith for the purpose indicated.

FIGURE 3 is a predominantly cross-sectional elevation of an alternativeform of the present inventive concept.

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4--4 o-f FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3,

it being understood that FIGURES 4 and 5 apply substantially equally tothe embodiment of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary detail in cross-sectional elevation of asecond alternative form of attachment of a fitment to a cap and amodified cap centre-portion.

In the drawings like characters of reference designate similar parts inthe several figures.

The inventor is aware of the spring member for tamperproof vialsaccording to US. Patent No. 3,072,276 issued to A. Nichols and datedJan. 8, 1963. He is also aware of such means of preventing a cap frombecoming inadvertently unscrewed from a container such as that disclosedin US. Patent No. 1,514,337 to Rappenecker dated Nov. 24, 1924, and alsoItalian Patent No. 495,545 issued to Padova in 1954.

The present invention however embodies features believed to bedistinctly novel over the teachings aforesaid. Proceeding thereforeinitially to summarize the invention conceptually with reference to theembodiments thereof depicted it will initially be understood that theinventor claims no novelty for the vessel or outer cap by which ismeant, and by which is only meant, the type of locking means consistingessentially of projecting elements and receptive elements each of whichlatter have a spiral protile and a cap retention recess, such as shownin the above patent to Nichols.

Continuing to summarize therefore the invention is characterized by thecombination with a rotatably lockable and downwardly tightenable capsuch as the aforesaid, of a circular resilient fitment collectivelydesignated A bearable against the underside of cap B, the fitmentincluding an outer annular region D which inclines circumferentiallyoutwardly and downwardly away from the cover portion E of cap B, aninner sealing flange F on the underside of fitment A near its perimeter,projectable into and bearable against the mouth G (which may "bechamfered as depicted or otherwise) of vessel H, and an outer sealingflange J bearable against the edge K of the vessel mouth, such outerflange being formed of the perimetrical ring of material of fitment Awhich surrounds inner flange F, the relative conformation of the innerflange F and mouth G being such that the outer annular region D is ofshallow domed conformation at least when the inner flange has enteredmouth G and is under pressure thereagainst.

In particular reference to the last preceding passage, it will be notedthat the whole fitment A is shown to be of shallow domed configuration,and that the region D is shown to be so even although not under stress.The inventor prefers that the fitment should be of the conformationdepicted. On the other hand, the region D might be of shallowfrusto-conical configuration, in other words fiat sloping and annular.However, to be of any resilient value, such flat slope would have toyield into domed configuration when the flange F comes up against mouthG. Accordingly the relative conformation of the outer surface of innerflange F and the mouth of the container should be such that the regionD, if frusto-conical, is caused to assume a yieldable, spring-biassing,in otherwise domed, configuration. This of course means that either theouter surface of F must be curved as shown or else, if vertical, themouth G must be chamfered. One or other condition is suflicient toachieve the desired endwhich however, it is repeated, is best achievedby prefrabicating into a domed configuration (and preferably againwholly domed configuration) all as shown.

Having summarized some but not all of the novel fea tures of the presentinvention, a detailed description follows in which numerals mayindifferently be substituted for the foregoing letters.

Cap B comprises the aforesaid cover portion, and a surrounding skirtportion 50. In the vicinity of the lower edge 51, and projectinginwardly therefrom, are spaced projecting elements 52 of rectangularconformation for preference, though not necessarily of suchconformation. An enlarged circular and shallow recess or well 53 isformed on the undersurface 54 of cover portion B.

At intervals, and projecting outwardly, from the upper edge (or mouth)of vessel H are receptive elements collectively designated 55 of theconfiguration clearly depicted in the accompanying FIGURES 1 and 2 andincluding the sloping under-profile 56, and cap retention recess 57 intowhich the elements 52 are caused to snap (upwardly) upon the cap beingrotated clockwise after it has been lowered from the position of FIGURE1 so that the skirt surrounds the mouth G of the vessel H and the outerflange J is resting on K.

Fitment A is provided with the upwardly projecting concentricallydisposed element collectively designated 58, the recess 53 and theelement 58 constituting recipient means for connecting fitment A and capB together.

Element 58 is provided with the outwardly projecting ring 59 presentingan annular undercut therebeneath as a result of which the same iscapable of engaging and entering the complementary annular undercutconformation 60 constituting the wall of the well 53.

Upon the underside of outer flange J, a bead 61 projects, and the samemay be half round, V shaped or of any other desired conformation. It isintended to be accommodated within the annular complementary recess 62formed upon the vessel mouth-edge K.

A further novel feature of the present invention resides in theabutments 63, such abutments constituting coterminous and upwardlyprojecting features externally off-set from the external surface 64 ofvessel H.

In view of the foregoing, a contemplation of the accompanying FIGURES land 2 will indicate that when the cap B is lowered, the outer andpreferably inwardly slightly curving annular surface 65 of inner flangeF and the lower corner of outer flange I will come to rest substantiallysimultaneously against the chamfered surface 67 and surface K. If nowthe cap be rotated clockwise with a certain amount of pressure with thepalm of the hand downwardly upon the cover portion E, the elements orlugs 52 will ride smoothly downwards around against the profile 56 untilrecess 57 is encountered. While so riding down, clearly there will be atendency for fitment A to flatten from the shallow domed configurationdepicted. Being very small in actual fact, the actual distortion takingplace is not too easily discernible. In any event bead 61 enters recess62 (although the bead and recess are not essential to the presentinvention). Surfaces 65 and 67 come into interfacing sealingrelationship.

At this time, and with normal pressure exerted upon cover portion E, thefitment A is not excessively flattened. Hence the perimeter 68 shouldnot be in contact with the inner surface 69 of abutments 63. If howeverexcessive force is applied, these two surfaces would come into contact.The abutments are therefore designed to protect the fitment A againstundue distortion since it would be extremely difiicult to compress thefitment further after surfaces 68 and 69 were in contact.

When the elements 52 enter recesses 57, pressure upon the cap isrelieved and the cap snaps up and is obviously now locked againstrotation in either direction until again down pressed so that theelements 52 leave the recesses 57, and the cap is rotated this timecounterclockwise.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof a fitment A (generally though perhaps not necessarily, of plastic) isthat the same can readily be snapped out of the shallow well 53. Thus,for pharmaceutical use, a large quantity of such fitments may bepreserved under sterile hygienic conditions and handled under suchconditions. Specifically, they may be applied to th? mouth G ofcontainers H under such conditions.

Then, with the contents enclosed the caps B may be applied under moreordinary industrial conditions.

From all the foregoing it will be observed that there has been designeda novel closure for a cap having the purpose stated whereby a springbias, and a highly effective sealing action is achieved, and thiswithout excessive binding of the seal in the mouth of the bottle, due tothe provision of the combination of outer flange I and inner flange F,the first of which prevents excessive downward movement of the fitmentand the second of which provides a perfect seal without binding.

Proceeding next to describe the alternative modification of the presentinventive concept as depicted in the accompanying FIGURES 3 through 5,the same represent a tamper-proof fluid tight enclosure embodying acontainer collectively designated 10, having a circular opening 11 and acap collectively designated 12 for covering said opening.

For attaching cap 12 to container 10, inter-engaging interruptedshoulder portions are provided projecting from the container in thevicinity of the opening 11, and from said cap 12. These portions willnow be described in greater detail, it being understood that the samemay be varied as to configuration, and do not, as such, alone comprisethe present invention.

Around the outside perimeter of container 10 are projectingconformations collectively designated 13. As exemplified there are fourof such conformations arranged in two diametrically opposed pairs.However, in actual practice more of such conformations will be providedusually some 6 or so in number. Such conformations provide recessedentrances or skewed passageways 14 therebetween for the admission of theinwardly projecting shoulder portions 15 formed upon and projecting fromthe mouth of the container 10.

The conformations 13 include cammed surface portions 18 and 19 similarto those which have already been described in connection with theaccompanying FIG- URES 1 and 2, against which the shoulder portions 15may move and be guided into the socket or locking portions 20(corresponding to 57 already referred to). It will be appreciatedhowever that the inter-engaging arrangements just described have littleor no utility unless associated with spring means whereby the shoulderportions 15 will be securely locked in place.

The resilient plastic sealing element collectively designated 21constitutes the novel means by which the inventor, in the present casesecures a cap such as 12 to a container such as 10 in association withinter-engaging arrangements such as have just been described. Proceedingtherefore to explain the construction of element 21 in association withcontainer 10 and cap 12, the same will be seen to embody an upperconcave-o-convex disc (substantially similar to the cross-sectionalconformation of fitment A), secured to the convex upper side of which,and centrally, is an upwardly projecting element 23 which may be of anyconformation such as will provide a grip at least against theundersurface of the cover portion of cap 12. Two such conformations aredepicted in the accompanying FIGURES 3 and 6. The element 23 shown inFIGURE 3 is in the form of a small upwardly projecting and upsetprotuberance or nose. As will be seen it is snugly maintained inaperture 24 formed centrally upon the covering portion 25 of cap 12. Theaperture need not be a perforation clear through the material as shown,but may be a blind aperture entering only from the underside. The disc22 should rotate freely in virtue of the convexity aforesaid, it will beapparent that there is a minimum surface contact between the upperconvex surface 26 and the undersurface 27 of portion 25. Thisparticularly is the case with the configuration of the accompanyingFIGURE 6 where the material upon either side of the aperture 24 is seento be thickened somewhat and convex upon the underside.

Projecting downwardly from the concave undersurface 28 in the vicinityof the perimeter of disc 22 is an annular inner flange 29 and spanningthe perimeter 30 of flange 29 is a planar diaphragm 31. This diaphragmis coterminous with flange 29 and disc 22. As a result it will beclearly apparent that the sealing element 21 is hollow and provided witha sealed interior air-filled chamber 32 which provides permanentresilience apart from and in addition to that which is inherent in the(usually plastic) material of which the element 21 is preferably, thoughnot necessarily, formed.

A second annular and outer flange 33 surrounds the sealing element 21externally at flange 29. The undersurface 34 of flange 33 may seat uponthe surface 35 of container if desired. Generally however the principalsealing factor will be found to reside in the complementarity of theinterior annular chamfer 36 with which the opening 11 is preferablyprovided, and the taper seen to exist at least upon the external surfaceof annular flange 29.

The observed annular taper provided upon flange 29 is also preferably,though not necessarily, slightly convex outwardly as regarded invertical central cross-section between its edges of conjunction 37 and38 respectively with disc 32 and diaphragm 31. As a result of all theforegoing it will readily be apparent that a very effective sealing andspring means has been provided in one and the same element to effect asecure locking action between the inter-engaging shoulder portions suchas 13 and 15.

Reverting to the preferred embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, it should benoted in connection with the flange F and buttresses 63 and expansion offlange J against the latter that this may occur notwithstanding theoutward bearing of flange F against mouth G (whether chamfered as shownor vertical in which case F would bear against the inner edge of K). Itcould occur for instance in the event that D or F are of differentstiffness, and particularly if D be substantially stiffer than F as mayoften be the case, or having regard to the slight cross-sectionalconvexity of the outer surface of F in contrast to the shown flatchamfer 67 which obviously provides an initial annular kiss-fit which onexpansion would become interfacial, and on excessive expansion couldlift 61 out of 62. Accordingly the inventor considers it to he inventiveand desirable to provide either the limiting buttresses 63 or the flangeI alone or both of these, according to circumstances, to preventpermanent fitment distortion and/ or excessive penetration of F into thecontainer and resultant over-tight frictional fit.

With reference to FIGURE 6, it is to be appreciated that the thickenedcentre portion 70, while it may extend out to the corners 71 (see FIGURE3) is generally only a thickened centre portion as indicated by thephantom lines 70 of FIGURE 3. Such a thickened portion is well suited toaccommodate the particular form of nose 72 which, in virtue of thecomplementary slopes 73 and 74, together with the shoulders 75 providesa form of nose which can very easily and effectively be pushed intoplace, held there snugly, and will not too easily be retracted.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tamper-proof container and closure assembly for substances fromwhich children should be safely guarded, embodying a vessel and a captherefor having cover and skirt portions, said vessel and cap being ofthe type having locking means co-acting between the mouth of said vesseland said cap and consisting essentially of projecting elements saidreceptive elements and receptive elements each having a sloping profileand a cap retention recess, for securing said cap and vessel togetherupon the application of a relative rotary effort between said vessel andcap which places said cap under increasing spring bias by the bearing ofsaid projecting elements against the profiles of said receptive elementsuntil said projecting elements enter said retention recesses,characterized by a circular resilient fitment bearable against theunderside of said cover portion, said fitment including an outer annularregion which inclines circumferentially outwardly and downwardly awayfrom said cover portion, an inner sealing flange on the underside ofsaid fitment near its perimeter projecting into and bearable against themouth of said vessel, and an outer sealing flange bearable against theedge of said vessel-mouth, said outer flange being formed of theperimetrical ring of material of said fitment which surrounds said innerflange, the relative conformation of said inner flange and mouth beingsuch that said outer annular region is of shallow domed conformation atleast when said inner flange has entered said mouth and is underpressure thereagainst.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said vessel-mouth-edgeand the underside of said outer flange are provided with an annularrecess and complementary projecting bead receptive therein.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which the underside of saidouter flange is provided with said bead.

4. The invention according to claim 1 which includes externally off-setabutments projecting upwardly from said vessel-mouth-edge to limitperimetrical expansion outwardly of the outer perimeter of said fitmentupon downward bias thereon by the cover portion of said cap in thelocking of same onto said vessel.

5. The invention according to claim 1 which includes a diaphragmspanning said inner flange so as to provide a fitment having a hollowsealed interior.

6. The invention according to claim 1 which includes recipient meansupon the upper side of said fitment and the underside of said cap coverportion for connecting the two rotatably together.

7. The means according to claim 6 by which said fitment is readilyattachable and removable from said cap.

8. The invention according to claim 1 which includes an upwardlyprojecting, concentrically disposed element upon the upper side of saidfitment, the underside of said cap cover-portion being complementarilyconformed to rotatably accommodate said element.

9. The invention according to claim 8 in which said concentricallydisposed element is in the form of a ring having an annular undercut toengage said complementary conformation.

10. The invention according to claim 8 which includes a diaphragmspanning said inner flange so as to provide a fitment having a hollowsealed interior.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,072,276 l/1963 Nichols 2l5-93,348,717 10/1967 Treanor 214-44 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner.

